There will be no Wellsville-Middletown runners heading to Columbia this fall.

The Tigers’ cross country season came to an end at the Class 1, District 3 championship meet on Nov. 2 at Fulton High School as four runners in the boys division came up short of a bid of qualifying for the Class 1 state meet, which is scheduled for Nov. 9 at Gans Creek Course in Columbia.

Seniors Gage Marshall and Jonah Slovensky, junior Zackery Vogel and sophomore Shane Joles represented the Tigers at the district meet.

Marshall was W-M’s top finisher, placing 34th with a 20:25.77. He came up four places short of clinching a state berth. Slovensky, who helped the W-M boys place third at the Class 1 state meet when he was a freshman, was 42nd with a 20:55.

Both Marshall and Slovensky competed in all four years with the Tigers.
“For Gage and Jonah, it’s been six years in a row that they have been on this team, so they showed incredible dedication and loyalty,” W-M coach John Slovensky said. “I’m very proud of the work they have put in.”

Joles placed 73rd with a 23:22, almost a two-minute improvement from last year’s district meet at South Callaway High School. Joles picked up medals at the season-opening Van-Far Invitational on Sept. 9 and the Linn Invitational five days later.

“Shane had an amazing first race of the season where he improved his best career time by a minute and a half,” John Slovensky said. “It was just unbelievable for the very first race he had. He has shown that he’s got the talent and he continues to improve.”

Vogel came in 78th with a 23:55.06 in his third district appearance.

“Everyone in our school who works with Zackery will tell you that he’s the hardest worker and everyone is a fan of his, especially his teammates,” Slovensky said. “They all love him. He really had to deal with shin splints almost the entire season, so he is always running in pain and he is always giving his best for himself, for his teammates and for his school."